Barony of Henn and the City of Shadows

Henn is the name of a barony in the northern parts of the Rising Land region.  The capitol city is also known as the City of Shadows, and has a population of 18,000.  The Barony, and the city, are both about 1200 years old.

The city of Henn has three major trade towns associated with it.  These are located on roads going to nearby Baronies.

The first, Aldrop (pop. 6,000) is located on the road southwest to Scallen.  The road stops at the Two-Moon River at the independent town of Riverport, but about a third of the way between Henn and Riverport stands the town of Aldrop.  Aldrop is known for the strange community of Gnome herbalists (the Leaf Guild of Mika) that live in the outskirts of the town, and also for the very old (over 1000 years old, almost as old as the City of Shadows itself) Shrine of the Seasons.  This is a a Lass Indol shrine that venerates all four of the Lass Indol demigoddesses, Neuvirra Oss (demigoddess of Spring and Planting), Elongar Suu (demigoddess of Summer and Growth), Olimo Vis (demigoddess of Autumn and the Harvest), and Frigia Nor (demigoddess of Winter and of Feasting).  Even though these four have long been brought into the Westron Church, the community that lives at the Shrine of the Seasons has a distinctive Lass Indol feel to it - preferring to wear the clothing and eat the cuisine of the ancient Lass Indol, when they were part of the Olmert Empire.  Given the nature of the Shrine, there are often visiting clergy that are dedicated to Kyclos present in Aldrop.

The second town, in the Barony, is along the road that goes north and then east to Huygen the City of Light.  This town, Tor Alis (pop. 4,000), is built on a tall, bald hill at the foot of the Jazzan Mountains.  The Huygen Road there passes around the base of the hill, but there is considerable traffic up to the heights of the town.  The town of Tor Alis (named for Alis hill) is in site of Mount Soluto, where the hermitage of the Eagles of Jazzan is located.  Because of its proximity, it is often a meeting place for members of the Eagles order, and also others who would have dealings in the lands surrounding the Jazzan mountains.

The third town of the Barony is Octoris (pop. 3,500) located on the road south to Pellorix.  It is located along the Pellorix Road, about half way between the City of Shadows, and the northern edge of the Redsmoke Woods.  The town is known for two main reasons. The first is the monastery (the Harmonious Reflectory of Order) located inside some curious crystalline caves, just outside of town, that is run by an order of St. Ermo.  These monks have dedicated their lives to the study of mathematics.  For some reason, the monastery have attracted a lot of retired soldiers and masons who have chosen to make a study of the philosophy of numbers.  The monastery is rare in that it is in fairly frequent communication with the Archivists of Parn Tandalorn.  The second thing that Octoris is known for is School of Bonbonis - a school for training young persons of worth, and wealthier men at arms, the fine art of Archery.  It was originally established by Bonbonis, a woodsman of exceptional skill with the bow, from the Redsmoke Forest.  On his retirement from the life of a Woodsman, he had acquired a fair amount of wealth, was annointed officially as a Lord by the Baron of Henn, and settled in Octoris (rather than constructing a castle or keep, Bonbonis instead built the School for archery).  He was joined by a number of his compatriots and companions from his early life as an adventurer and woodsman.

In addition to the population of the dependent towns, there are approximately another ten or twelve thousand people, mostly farmers and members of very small nameless villages, that make up the Barony.

The capitol city of Henn itself is the seat of the branch of the Church, under the division of Nadene, that venerates St. Jaspar.  The great Earthroot Cathedral is here, built out of a very large stone formation that makes up the western edge of the City.  The stone, called the Earthroot, has legendary properties, and is supposedly a ward against the return of the elemental gods of the Old Ones.  The Church, in its official position on the elemental gods, has chosen not to recognize this, and instead considers the stone to have been placed here, far from the Jazzan Mountains, by a band of prescient Storm Giants, that foresaw the coming of Jaspar Wilderman, and his ability to make stone alive, and work it by the gifts of his great strength ('like that of a Storm Giant' it is said).  It is not known if this story, or the one about the ward against the elemental gods is true, but the second is the position officially taken by the Archivists of Parn Tandalorn, and the former is the position taken by the Church.  One of the more visible of the properties of the Earthroot is the presence of the Thousand Sons of the Earthroot.

The capitol is called the City of Shadows for the reason of the fantastic shadows that the city is always in.  These shadows are cast by a cloud of great stones, ranging in size of a small farm pig, on up to the size of a massive windmill, or castle keep.  These float on the air, and rotate, slowly but irregularly, in a circular pattern around the Earthroot, at a height of approximately 500-1000 feet.  It is not known what keeps the stones up, as experiments by magic users from the eight Schools of Magic have not revealed the nature of the magic.  Due to the rigorous nature of the experiments, however, most feel sure that the stones are not going to fall.  They rotate in a radius of approximately a mile or so, but the larger stones are closer to the center.  The movement of these causes a constant shifting pattern of shadows to dance all across the city, hence the name "City of Shadows".

The largest of the stones rotating around the Earthroot, are the Thousand Sons.  There are many more than a thousand of these stones, but the larger ones (the named ones) are called the Thousand Sons. One of the more interesting, Aqualith (the Water Stone) has a small spring of water located on it, and it is constantly producing a fresh gurgling of water up out of it.  This water gathers in small pools on the upper surface of Aqualith, a stone of perhaps 20 yards across the long face, and 5 yards wide, and which is floating lengthwise upright.  However, the water, since it is constantly being produced, is always trickling down as a waterfall down the side of Aqualith.  Once it falls the hundreds of feet to the city, it has mostly dispersed into a fine misting drizzle, however it is enough water to keep the city incredibly lush, and full of the most bountiful trees and gardens.

The current ruler of the city is Lendara Astern of the Moontusk family.  The Moontusk family has been involved as one of the leading families of Henn since they came out of the Olmert Empire, approximately 500 years ago (in a later wave of colonisation).  Her full title is Majestrix Lendara Astern, Baroness of Henn, Queenchief of the Moontusk Diamond, and Protector of the Earthroot.

Gof Annish - Tower of the Necromancer

There is a nearly barren heath, on the southeast border of the Craggy Hills, in the rough triangle formed by the Craggy Hills, the slopes of Fire Mountian, and the City of Botts, in the region of the Sildur Reaches.  The heath is often referred to as Gof Annish, although the title refers, properly. to the strange, ancient tower at the center of the 10 mile heath.

The tower is ancient, built no doubt by the Old Ones.  Today it is home to a mysterious figure known only as The Necromancer.  The tower is peopled with all sorts of undead constructs and creations, and the immediate country side is not contested by anyone.

There is a nearby town (maybe half a day's walk) to the tower, but it is outside of the barren heath.  The town is home to a small number of farming peasants who not only tend to their own needs, but also support the nearby monastery known as the Hove of Enlightenment.  It is a place of meditation, study and reflection for a community of Kyclos, the consort of Nadene, the Goddess of Fertility.  It seems that the Brothers of the order are quite fascinated with the difference between living and dead, and so have made a study of the undead creatures of Gof Annish.  The inhabitants of the town know some of the following goings-on at the heath.

The heath itself is kept cursed and freed from most life (no animals live there, and very few plants, other than the Annish vine).  This is done by the hand of the Necromancer and his serving hordes of undead.  Twice a year, a massive procession of skeletons, led by 12 bone devils, lead the Bell of the Damned in a circle around the edge of the heath, three times, starting at midnight on the Equinox, and taking  over three days.  The circuit around the edge of the heath is over 30 miles, and the Bell itself is huge.  It is a massively large bell, weighting thousands of pounds, and mounted in a tall (25') wooden scaffold, on wheels.  Hundreds of skeletons, pulling on ropes and chains, heave the scaffolding out of the Tower of Gof Annish, out to the edge of the heath, and then begin their thrice encirclement of the lifeless land.  During this parade of death, the bell is rung continually, and a faint unearthly moaning rises up from the skeletal mouths.  The 12 bone devils at the head of the procession are shouting loud shrill blasphemies against life and the three Goddesses and will attack anything living in the path of the procession.

Procession of the Damned from Gof Annish, around the cursed heath

The only thing, above the level of lichens and short scrubby grass, that lives on the heath are the Annish vines.  These are curious plants, appearing basically as large clumps of massive radial tubers, growing out of a common thick root.  The tubers are some 30-40 feet long, and at their base some 8-10 inches around, tapering to only an inch or so across at the end.  They react to the presence of life, and if encountered at any time during the year, may attack whatever creature comes near them (these are located, not thickly, but placed fairly randomly all across the heath.  Since they tend to lay down, limp, in a radial splayed out pattern when they are not active, they are hard to spot until a traveler is somewhat close).  During the procession of the Bell of the Damned, however, they come to life.  The Annish Vines wave their horrid tubers in the air, violently and randomly, and unroot themselves.  Somehow they can drag their root ball out across the surface of the ground, and will attempt to fall into place behind the procession, before settling down again.  An active Annish Vine does not travel too fast, but then again neither does a horde of thousands of undead hauling on a bell that weighs thousands of pounds.  The Vines, after following the procession for a short time, will return to a random spot on the heath, and take up root again.

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Name: Annish Vines
No. Encountered: 1-3
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Movement: 30'
Armor Class: 4
Hit Dice: 10 (65hp)
Attacks: Up to 16 (no more than 4 against any one man sized foe).
Damage: 1-12+2
Save: F10
Morale: 9
Hoard Class: VI
XP: 850

The Annish Vine has many fibrous tubers to attack with, but can not bring any more than 4 at a time against any one foe.  It can, however, attack any foes within 30' of its base.  The Treasure Hoard that it might have are items that are to be found in the ground, at the base of the root ball that the vines grow out of.  These are the remains of any victims that have been slain and eaten previously.

The Annish Vine is immune to normal missile fire, but takes normal damage from fire and acid based attacks.  Against magic, it has a 25% magic resistance, but has not concentrated mind so is immune to spells such as Sleep and Charm.

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Occasionally, some group or another, typically Knights from the City of Air (Botts), or an order of Errant Paladins (such as the Paladins of the White Lady), will want to take up arms against the Procession, or even against the seat of power at Gof Annish tower itself.  They have always been stopped in the past by both the Priests and Monks of Kyclos from the Hove of Enlightenment, or by members of the Silver order of Druids.  Occasionally, in recent history, this has been by the Master of the Silver Order himself, from the Star Tower in the Aghanz Hills.

Specialty Priests of the Westron Church (part 1)

The many various orders and chapters of the Westron Church each have their own specialty priests (for a list, see this post), available for Human player character use - here are the important stats.

First the goddess of Fertility (one of the three that the Westron Church is based on), as well as her affiliated demigods and saints.

Nadene - goddess of Fertility

• Priest's Alignment: Neutral or Neutral Good
• Minimum Abilities: Wisdom 12, Charisma 12. Wisdom or Charisma 16 means +5% experience; Wisdom and Charisma 16 means +10% experience.
• NWP and WPN Prof: Herbalism (Required).  NWP groups - Priest, General.  No weapons required.
• Weapons and Armor: Weapons Permitted: Javelin, polearm, spear. Armor Permitted: Hide armor and leather armor (normal or magical), all non-metal shields.
• Restrictions: Priests of Nadene must be married.
• Major Spheres: All, Healing, Necromantic, Plant, Summoning.
• Minor Spheres: Animal, Charm, Creation, Divination, Protection, Weather.
• Powers: Charm/Fascination (Works as the 3rd level Wizard Spell suggestion, but cannot be used in combat); Incite Berserker Rage (A willing warrior may be incited at most 1 time per day.  It takes 1 round for the priest to incite the warrior.  Then the warrior has +2 to hit and damage, and cannot leave the field of battle while foes still face him.  Once he leaves, he chooses whether or not to emerge from the rage); May choose one of the following animals which which the priest may communicate (not control, just talk to): Cattle, goats, horses, rabbits, sheep or snakes.
• Symbol: The symbol of Nadene is a Pine Cone.

Kyclos - demigod of the Cycle of Life

• Priest's Alignment: True Neutral
• Minimum Abilities: Wisdom 10.  Wisdom 16 means +10% experience.
• NWP and WPN Prof: Religion (required). NWP groups - Priest, General.  No weapons required.
• Weapons and Armor: Weapons Permitted: Dagger/dirk, knife, scythe, sickle. Armor Permitted: All non-metal armor; no shields.
• Restrictions: Priests may not eat animal flesh - they are vegetarian.
• Major Spheres: All, Divination, Healing, Necromantic (Special Note: These priests cannot use resurrection spell; they use reincarnate instead), Plant, Summoning, Weather.
• Minor Spheres: Animal, Charm, Creation, Elemental, Protection, Sun.
• Powers: Incite Berserker Rage (A willing warrior may be incited at most 1 time per day.  It takes 1 round for the priest to incite the warrior.  Then the warrior has +2 to hit and damage, and cannot leave the field of battle while foes still face him.  Once he leaves, he chooses whether or not to emerge from the rage); Turn Undead (same as a Cleric in PHB)
• Symbol: Braided Circle.

 St. Horace - patron saint of Animals

• Priest's Alignment: Neutral Good or True Neutral.
• Minimum Abilities: Wisdom 9, Charisma 13. Wisdom or Charisma 16 means +5% experience; Wisdom and Charisma 16 means +10% experience.
• NWP and WPN Prof: Animal Handling (Required).  No weapons required.  NWPs allowed: Priest, General, Warrior.
• Weapons and Armor: Bill, cestus, club, dagger/dirk, knife, mace, main-gauche, stiletto, swords (all), warhammer. Armor Permitted: all non-metal armor; no shields.
• Restrictions: None.
• Major Spheres: All, Animal, Charm, Divination, Protection.
• Minor Spheres: Combat, Creation, Healing, Plant.
• Powers: Identification of any Natural monster or animal; Speak with 3 specific types of animals (priest chooses, 1 bird, 1 mammal, and 1 fish or reptile; Soothing Word for Natural monsters or animals 3x a day (can remove a Fear spell or calm down animals or monsters up to 2x the priests level); Shapechanging at level 5 (as per the Druid's power from the PHB - same animals the Priest may speak to)
• Symbol: Salmon 
• The Stone of Life - Great Cathedral of St. Horace, is located at Ungams. 
• A number of different Ranger Hermitages exist throughout the valley, that are associated with St. Horace, who's clerics have an affinity for both Human and Elven Rangers.  The original, is the site of the Eagles of Jazzan.
  

Mother Kimber - patron saint of childbirth and children

• Worshiper's Alignment: Chaotic Good, Neutral Good, Lawful Good.
• Minimum Abilities: Wisdom 10. Wisdom 16 means +10% experience.
• NWP and WPN Prof: Healing (required).  No weapons required.  NWPs allowed: Priest, General.
• Weapons and Armor: Lasso, net. Armor Permitted: None; no shields.
• Restrictions: None.
• Major Spheres: All, Astral, Charm, Creation, Elemental, Healing, Protection, Summoning, Sun.
• Minor Spheres: Animal, Combat, Divination, Guardian, Necromantic.
• Powers: Turn Undead (as per Cleric in PHB)
• Symbol: Circle with a dot in it, off center

 St. Leiathar - patron saint of Weather

• Priests's Alignment: True Neutral or Neutral Good
• Minimum Abilities: Wisdom 10, Constitution 12. Wisdom or Constitution 16 means +5% experience; Wisdom and Constitution 16 means +10% experience.
• NWP and WPN Prof: Weather Sense (required).  No weapons required. NWPs allowed: Priest, General.
• Weapons and Armor: Battle axe, bows (all), club, hand/throwing axe, javelin, spear, warhammer. Armor Permitted: All non-metal armor, all shields.
• Restrictions: None
• Major Spheres: All, Astral, Elemental (the priest can only use spells with the words Water, Air, and Wind in their names, and the spell chariot of Sustarre ), Protection, Weather.
• Minor Spheres: Combat, Divination, Plant, Sun.
• Powers: Inspire Fear (2x per day, as per Wizard spell of 4th level).
• Symbol: Cloud.
• Cloudhome Cathedral in Werms.

 St. Jaspar - patron saint of Strength and Rocks

• Priest's Alignment: Neutral Good, or True Neutral.
• Minimum Abilities: Wisdom 9, Strength 15. Wisdom or Strength 16 means +5% experience; Wisdom and Strength 16 means +10% experience.
• NWP and WPN Prof: Endurance (Required).  No weapons required.  NWPs allowed: Priest, General, Warrior.
• Weapons and Armor: Battle axe, cestus, club, mace, maul, morning star, picks (all), polearm, sword/two-handed, warhammer. Armor Permitted: All armor and shields.
• Major Spheres: All, Combat, Healing.
• Minor Spheres: Elemental, Necromantic.
• Powers: Immune to life draining and paralysis from undead, also to chill touch, energy drain, enervation, ray of enfeeblement, and vampiric touch; Turn Undead (as per Cleric in PHB); Incite Berserker Rage at 5th level; Inspire Fear (2x per day, as per Wizard spell of 4th level) at 8th level.
• Symbol: Mountain.
• The Cathedral of Earthroot is located in the City of Shadows, capitol of Henn.

 Brother Ian - patron saint of Knowledge and Fire

• Priest's Alignment: Neutral Good, or True Neutral.
• Minimum Abilities: Wisdom 10, Intelligence 10. Wisdom or Intelligence 16 means +5% experience; Wisdom and Intelligence 16 means +10% experience.
• NWP and WPN Prof: Firebuilding (required). No Weapons required.  NWPs allowed: Priest, General, Wizard.
• Weapons and Armor: Bill, dagger/dirk, knife, stiletto, swords (all). Armor Permitted: All metal armor, all metal shields.
• Restrictions: None.
• Major Spheres: All, Elemental (the priest may only use the spells whose names include the words Fire, Flame, Heat, Pyrotechnics, and the spell Chariot of Sustarre), Sun.
• Minor Spheres: Charm, Divination, Healing, Necromantic, Protection, Weather.
• Powers: Pass Unharmed through any wall of fire spell; Immune - +2 saving throw vs. priest spells of Elemental sphere, and all wizard spells of Evocation and Alteration with the words fire, burning, flaming, pyrotechnics, and incendiary in the title.
• Symbol: Lantern

 St. Ellain - patron saint of Art and Water

• Priest's Alignment: Chaotic Good, Neutral Good, Lawful Good
• Minimum Abilities: Wisdom 13, Intelligence 12. Wisdom or Intelligence 16 means +5% experience; Wisdom and Intelligence 16 means +10% experience.
• NWP and WPN Prof: Artistic Ability (choose one) (required).  No weapons required. NWPs allowed: Priest and General.
• Weapons and Armor: Bows (all) are the only weapon allowed.  No armor or shields allowed.
• Restrictions: Priests in the order of St. Ellain receive D6 for hit dice, rather than D8.
• Major Spheres: All, Astral, Creation, Divination, Elemental, Plant, Protection, Sun.
• Minor Spheres: Healing, Necromantic.
• Powers: Identification of and Immunity vs. certain spells. Because of the priest's superior insight into creativity and art, he is Immune (receives an automatically-successful saving throw) to all first-level wizard Illusion spells for which a saving throw is possible, and gets a +2 saving throw vs. all other Illusion spells for which a saving throw is possible (he can't make a saving throw against someone else's invisibility, for instance).
• Symbol: Quill
• Ramee Tower Cathedral - Khomaes

 Sister Silpha - patron saint of Travel and Air

• Priest's Alignment:True Neutral or Neutral Good.
• Minimum Abilities: Wisdom 12, Charisma 10. Wisdom or Charisma 16 means +5% experience; Wisdom and Charisma 16 means +10% experience.
• NWP and WPN Prof: Navigation (Required). No Weapons required;  NWPs allowed: Priest, General.
• Weapons and Armor: Club, javelin, mace, maul, polearm, quarterstaff, spear, trident. Armor Permitted: All non-metal armor and all shields.
• Restrictions: None.
• Major Spheres: All, Charm, Divination, Protection, Sun.
• Minor Spheres: Elemental, Guardian, Necromantic, Plant.
• Powers: Receive a new Language once per level, until level 8; Soothing Word (3x a day can remove a Fear spell or calm down people or monsters up to 2x the priests level), Charm/Fascination (works as 3rd level Wizard spell) at 8th level.
• Symbol: Walking stick.

Druids in the Valley of the Old Ones

The class of Druids in the Valley of the Old Ones, as one would expect, are very similar to the concept as presented in the first and second editions of AD&D.  They are mystics who venerate nature, and draw their power from nature and affiliated deities.

Amongst the Druids to be found in the Westron Baronies, there are three orders of druids.  The first, the Brown Order is affiliated with Kyclos - the demigod of the cycle of life.  He is affiliated with the Church by being observed by followers of the goddess Nadene as being her consort.  The Brown Order of Druids is so named because of the brown mantles and belts that they wear on their all white robes.  There's is an order that is dedicated to the circle of life - things all have a place in nature, and Man would do best to fit in with that heirarchy.  The order has its learning and heirarchy centered at the Druid Hall at Kavaman, in the eastern end of the Nell Nod Forest.  Druids of the Brown Order are often traveling companions of Priests of Kyclos, and occasionally with Priests from the Order of St. Horace (patron saint of animals).  Druids of the Brown Order are often found in agricultural communities, or not far away.  Equally, however, they will be found in places of learning.

The Green Order of druids is also affiliated with the Church.  It is very much involved in the communing with plants and trees, and as such is affiliated with the worship of the Green Man (the demigod of plants and the wild who is the seasonal husband of the goddess Corrise).  While Druids of the Green Order are every bit as much interested in scholarly learning about nature, and knowledge of the world around them, they do not have a great center of their worship, but rather tend to congregate their hierarchy around a series of groves, the oldest and largest of which is Mamblir in the Deeper Forest.  Druids of the Green Order rarely settle, and often spend years traveling abroad away from their home grove.  The Green Order often go abroad wearing some sort of green - robes, cloak, or mantle.

Finally, the third order is the mysterious group of Druids known as the Silver Order of druids.  These are not affiliated with the Church in any way, and are chiefly interested in the grander universe - how things work, how they work together, the effect on the stars by the endless world, how fire works, and why it doesn't - these are the sorts of questions often asked by Silver Order Druids.  The master of the order is a mysterious individual who lives high atop his Star Tower, in the Aghanz Hills.  Members of the order often travel abroad, seeking places of deep mystery and meaning in which to make their homes of contemplation of nature.  They are very fond of the various sites of the Old Ones, and seek to understand their peculiar relationship with nature.